


I'll Always Keep the Memory Of

by apatternedfever



Category: White Collar
Genre: Breakup Fic, Other, Post-Series, but not canon past season two, congenial breakup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-06
Updated: 2013-03-06
Packaged: 2017-12-04 11:17:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/710200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apatternedfever/pseuds/apatternedfever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes good things have to come to an end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Always Keep the Memory Of

**Author's Note:**

> For the song prompt, Neal/Peter/Elizabeth, "They Can't Take That Away From Me". I haven't watched the show regularly since season two, so I'm not sure how well it fits in after that.

It starts fast. They fall deep, they fall hard, and they fall without thinking twice. With six months to go till Neal's off the anklet, they decide to hold off on acting on it, but it's there and they all know it. And it shows, when they're alone and they get the chance to show it, in their smiles, in the little touches and comments.

It starts fast, but it ends slow.

They're together two years. Then three. And somewhere between two years and three, things fade. Not in the normal way, the receding of the first rush of passion, the settling into something more comfortable, longer lasting. It fades until Neal forgets to kiss them goodbye before he sets out to do something else; until he starts staying on the couch more often than in their bed, and then doesn't seem to stay over often at all.

They still have good times, they have dinners and talk as easily as ever, they argue over movies and music and art. They chat, they enjoy each other, but somewhere along the way they stop acting like lovers.

And when, Christmas Eve around the tree, Neal looks at them in the dim lights and says quietly, "This isn't really working anymore, is it?", Peter and El can't find a way to argue.

But nothing changes, not really. Not the important parts.

Neal comes for dinner once a week, he gives El a bottle of good wine and teases Peter about his lack of taste; he drops in unexpectedly and lets himself in. He just doesn't stay the night anymore, doesn't share their bed, only kisses Elizabeth on the cheek. And they'll all look a little wistful when they talk about how things were, and they'll all wonder what could have been.

But none of them will ever regret it.


End file.
